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Chapter 3

Susan woke and stretched. The bed was more comfortable than anything she has ever rested on before. She did not intend to sleep till the next day but the magik drained her terribly as well. She got out of the bed and the windows provided plenty of light for her to navigate around the banister. She then looked into his room. He was fast asleep with one of the frames on his chest. She pucks it up gently and looks at the image of a man similar to Steve and a small child. “ It is me and my father."

His words startled her that she cracked the glass. Susan did not know what else to do but raise the picture up again for him to carefully take it and put it on the dresser. He then grabbed the pad of paper and pen. “ I should continue with my inventory."

Susan followed Steve interested in everything. Each room had a marvel in it. One had cleaning substances for grooming while another was a closet full of wonders. What amazed her most was the underground area. She was glad to take so much of the surrounding soil. She does wonder where the stone that was there originally went but that was a small matter. In the basement were boxes labeled with red crosses, canisters of liquids, cages and even something that smelled strong of smoke. He wrote and looked at what he would and decided to go out the back. The high grass suddenly ends after a point and he did not cross over that. After going to the small structure in the back and inventorying it as well he turned back to Susan. “ The grass and the tree. Am I able to keep them?"

Susan paused. “ The tree and some of the grass can be moved but not where the house will be. Nearby however."

Steve accepted that and looked at the pad. “ The dwarf, I will need to inform him of some particulars. Such as plumbing and wiring."

Susan looked at him confused and he could tell. “ He will better understand."

Susan nods accepting that. They were about to go back into the house when the red dragon from before lands on the outside of the grass divide. He growls something and Susan looks to Steve. “ He asks for you to come with him. He needs you for your skills."

Steve did not like being carried but after being explained what was going on he allowed it and a box with a red cross on it was brought as well. They land in one of the training grounds and most of the dragons were tackling and wrestling each other. This seemed normal to Steve but one was on the side with a deep gash in their side. The area was unsanitary and obvious he was left to die. He went strait to work on that one. Galatem leaned downward. “ He is not the one I sent him here to treat. I have no use for dead meat."

Susan looked a little amazed herself. He got into the box and wiped away any blood around the womb before sticking him a few times with cylinders and tossing them away. He then looked around and found a broken end of a hooked javelin and used that with a stretch of cloth from the box and seemed to start sewing his flesh back together. Not long after starting he cut the cloth and tied it firm. Steve them moved back to Susan covered in the dragons blood. “ With some rest, food and water he should be healed ."

Susan repeats the message and Galatem became amazed. “ Where is the next one?"

Galatem recovered from his surprise and led the two to the elite training area. This one stumped Steve immediately. The dragon appeared fine. No serious scars or lacerations he sees with the other dragons. “ What is wrong with him?"

Susan repeats the question and the elite raised his claw. He tried moving it around but it remained mostly locked. Steve made a gesture and it took Susan to have him mimic it for the elite to do so. Steve theorized a few things that could be wrong. He felt around the dragons claw. He was not sure of the bone or nerve structure of dragons but after feeling around he found no broken bones and no noticeable nerve damage. He has a thought. “ Salt!"

Susan moves to his side. “ Salt?"

Steve looks at her. “ A mineral. Commonly used to preserve meat. He needs to ingest some."

Susan asks another confused question. “ Ingest?"

Steve sighs. “ Eat. He needs to eat some. Not a lot. Probably enough in what is a preserved meal is for a dragon. His hand is tense and cramped. A common remedy is salt." Susan looks back at Galatem. “ An elite never gets preserved rations unless on the march correct?" Galatem nods. “ Yes, princess. Getting fresh meat allows my warriors to stay strong as long as possible. Now you mention it I commonly notice that this condition does not exist when on the march as it does more often in training."

Susan looks back at Steve. “ How often should he need this salt medicine?"

Steve was not entirely sure. “ Perhaps once a month for now. Maybe keep a few pieces of jerky nearby."

Susan was about to relay that but paused. “ What is jerky?"

Steve sat on a stump exhausted. His box of supplies empty. All the morphine and pain killers were used within an hour. The sutures and bandages gone not long after. He figures only one could not have lived without his aid and that was the first one. After a moments rest he gets up and gathers whatever bandages and supplies littered the area and put them back in the box. Perhaps he could find a way to clean the bandages and make use of the rest. Susan was with the old red dragon and he was relatively alone when he came to the bronze one.

He did not look like the others. He was smaller and weaker in size and stature but he was awake and alive. Drinking what he guessed was not exactly clean water. He moved over to where he treated the bronze dragon and started gathering what he could from there as well. When he stood again he had the hook in his hand. It seemed a good idea to him to keep it for further use. He then was aware that the bronze dragon was facing him and low to the ground and growling. He knows from animals that this was not good.

Susan did not think anything of Steve gathering his supplies but noticed that he was back in the area where he treated the captive. She instantly took off and barely landed with him frozen. It was not fear that froze him. It was the knowledge that if he moved he would be attacked. The bronze one saw her and paused his hostility. It was not a moment later Galatem and several of his warriors were around them ready to stop whatever hostility that might incur.

The bronze one instantly went from being aggressive to curling in fear. Susan becomes relieved and starts to turn to Steve so they can leave but he just drops what he has, but the hook, and moves toward the bronze one. Many of the dragons there thought that he was going to scar the prisoner for his defiance but were surprised to find him repairing his side once again. The bronze one became surprised and laid on his side to make it easier. After the patchwork was done Steve turns around. “ I do not care who he is or what he has done but none are to touch him till I say he is healed."

Susan was sure only one other there could guess what he said but his claim was easily made in anger and annoyance. She moved to the bronze one and looked him strait in the eye. “ This one that I am responsible for has just given you life, and when you threatened him he gives you life yet again. If you value your life and wish it further you are now his and mine."

The bronze one looked at her then at Steve then at Galatem. “ He has no say in this nor does the other. Speak your name if you accept this."

The bronze one looked at Susan not sure what to do. He did not want to become traitor to his tribe but he did not want to lose his life either. “ I am." The bronze one pauses. Those around him were a little shocked. “ I am willing to this under one condition."

Several around him start making noises of mockery. Susan was looking at him right in the eyes unphased by it. “ Speak!"

The bronze one does not recoil. “ I shall call you my queen if." He pauses again looking at the others. “ If I never have to fight my birth brothers." Susan paused and Steve rejoined her side after cleaning up everything and putting them in the box. “ What is going on?"

Susan did not break her gaze. “ He is a captive. Because you saved his life not once but twice and he threatened you I must be sure of his loyalty. He is willing to show this but on the condition he never fights his blood kin."

Steve thinks it over while wiping his hands with the last bit of clean cloth he has. “ Tell his sure. If they mean us no harm then I do not know why we should them."

Susan looked at him surprised. She considers the wording carefully. “ If me and mine are not hostile and they are you will defend us as we will defend ourselves as well. Only if it is a field of battle of our or mutual agreement then you can stand aside."

The bronze one considered her words.